the daisy chain, or aspirations-第29节

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All　this　excited　the　home　party；　but　Norman　only　seemed　annoyed　by
talk　about　it；　and　though　always　with　a　book　in　his　hand；　was　so
dreamy　and　listless；　that　Flora　declared　that　there　was　no　fear　of
his　doing　too　muchshe　thought　he　would　fail　for　want　of　trying。

〃I　mean　to　try；〃　said　Norman；　〃say　no　more　about　it；　pray。〃

The　great　day　was　the　20th　of　December；　and　Ethel　ran　out；　as　the
boys　went　to　school；　to　judge　of　Norman's　looks；　which　were　not
promising。　　〃No　wonder；〃　said　Harry；　since　he　had　stayed　up　doing
Euripides　and　Cicero　the　whole　length　of　a　candle　that　had　been　new
at　bedtime。　　〃But　never　mind；　Ethel；　if　he　only　beats　Anderson；　I
don't　care　for　anything　else。〃

〃Oh；　it　will　be　unbearable　if　he　does　not！　　Do　try；　Norman；　dear。〃

〃Never　you　mind。〃

〃He'll　light　up　at　the　last　moment；〃　said　Ethel；　consolingly；　to
Harry；　but　she　was　very　uneasy　herself；　for　she　had　set　her　heart　on
his　surpassing　Harvey　Anderson。　　No　more　was　heard　all　day。　　Tom　went
at　dinner…time　to　see　if　he　could　pick　up　any　news；　but　he　was　shy；
or　was　too　late；　and　gained　no　intelligence。　　Dr。　May　and　Richard
talked　of　going　to　hear　the　speeches　and　viva　voce　examination　in　the
afternoonobjects　of　great　interest　to　all　Stoneborough　menbut
just　as　they　came　home　from　a　long　day's　work；　Dr。　May　was　summoned
to　the　next　town；　by　an　electric　telegraph；　and；　as　it　was　to　a　bad
case；　he　did　not　expect　to　be　at　home　till　the　mail…train　came　in　at
one　o'clock　at　night。　　Richard　begged　to　go　with　him；　and　he
consented；　unwillingly；　to　please　Margaret；　who　could　not　bear　to
think　of　his　〃fending　for　himself〃　in　the　dark　on　the　rail…road。

Very　long　did　the　evening　seem　to　the　listening　sisters。　　Eight；　and
no　tidings；　nine；　the　boys　not　come；　Tom　obliged　to　go　to　bed　by
sheer　sleepiness；　and　Ethel　unable　to　sit　still；　and　causing　Flora
demurely　to　wonder　at　her　fidgeting　so　much；　it　would　be　so　much
better　to　fix　her　attention　to　some　employment；　while　Margaret　owned
that　Flora　was　right；　but　watched；　and　started　at　each　sound；　almost
as　anxiously　as　Ethel。

It　was　ten；　when　there　was　a　sharp　pull　at　the　bell；　and　down　flew
the　sisters；　but　old　James　was　beforehand；　and　Harry　was　exclaiming；
〃Dux！　　James；　he　is　Dux！　　Hurrah！　　Flossy；　Ethel；　Mary！　　There　stands
the　Dux　of　Stoneborough！　　Where's　papa？〃

〃Sent　for　to　Whitford。　　But　oh！　　Norman；　Dux！　　Is　he　really？〃

〃To　be　sure；　but　I　must　tell　Margaret；〃　and　up　he　rushed；　shouted　the
news　to　her；　but　could　not　stay　for　congratulation；　broke　Tom's
slumber　by　roaring　it　in　his　ear；　and　dashed　into　the　nursery；　where
nurse　for　once　forgave　him　for　waking　the　baby。　　Norman；　meanwhile；
followed　his　eager　sisters　into　the　drawing…room；　putting　up　his　hand
as　if　the　light　dazzled　him；　and　looking；　by　no　means；　as　it　he　had
just　achieved　triumphant　success。

Ethel　paused　in　her　exultation：　〃But　is　it；　is　it　true；　Norman？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said　wearily；　making　his　way　to　his　dark　corner。

〃But　what　was　it　for？　　How　is　it？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　said　Flora。　　〃Are　you　tired；　Norman；　dear；　does
your　head　ache？〃

〃Yes；〃　and　the　pain　was　evidently　severe。

〃Won't　you　come　to　Margaret？〃　said　Ethel；　knowing　what　was　the
greater　suffering；　but　he　did　not　move；　and　they　forbore　to　torment
him　with　questions。　　The　next　moment　Harry　came　down　in　an　ecstacy；
bringing　in；　from　the　hall；　Norman's　beautiful　prize　books；　and
showing　off　their　Latin　inscription。

〃Ah！〃　said　he；　looking　at　his　brother；　〃he　is　regularly　done　for。　　He
ought　to　turn　in　at　once。　　That　Everard　is　a　famous　fellow　for　an
examiner。　　He　said　he　never　had　seen　such　a　copy　of　verses　sent　up　by
a　school…boy；　and　could　hardly　believe　June　was　barely　sixteen。　　Old
Hoxton　says　he　is　the　youngest　Dux　they　have　had　these　fifty　years
that　he　has　known　the　school；　and　Mr。　Wilmot　said　'twas　the　most
creditable　examination　he　had　ever　known；　and　that　I　might　tell　papa
so。　　What　did　possess　that　ridiculous　old　landlubber　at　Whitford；　to
go　and　get　on　the　sick…list　on　this；　of　all　the　nights　of　the　year？
June；　how　can　you　go　on　sitting　there；　when　you　know　you　ought　to　be
in　your　berth？〃

〃I　wish　he　was；〃　said　Flora；　〃but　let　him　have　some　tea　first。〃

〃And　tell　us　more；　Harry；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Oh！　it　is　famous！　　I　knew　he
would　come　light　at　last。　　It　is　too　delightful；　if　papa　was　but
here！〃

〃Isn't　it？　　You　should　have　seen　how　Anderson　grinnedhe　is　only
fourthdown　below　Forder；　and　Cheviot；　and　Ashe。〃

〃Well；　I　did　not　think　Norman　would　have　been　before　Forder　and
Cheviot。　　That　is　grand。〃

〃It　was　the　verses　that　did　it；〃　said　Harry；　〃they　had　an　hour　to　do
Themistocles　on　the　hearth　of　Admetus；　and　there　he　beat　them　all　to
shivers。　　'Twas　all　done　smack；　smooth；　without　a　scratch；　in
Alcaics；　and　Cheviot　heard　Wilmot　saving；　'twas　no　mere　task；　but　had
poetry；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing　in　it。　　But　I　don't　know　whether
that　would　have　done；　if　he　had　not　come　out　so　strong　in　the
recitation；　they　put　him　on　in　Priam's　speech　to　Achilles；　and　he
said　itOh　it　was　too　bad　papa　did　not　hear　him！　　Every　one　held
their　breath　and　listened。〃

〃How　you　do　go　on！〃　muttered　Norman；　but　no　one　heeded；　and　Harry
continued。　　〃He　construed　a　chorus　in　Sophocles　without　a　blunder；
but　what　did　the　business　was　this；　I　believe。　　They　asked　all　manner
of　out…of…the…way　questionshistory　and　geography；　what　no　one
expected；　and　the　fellows　who　read　nothing　they　can　help；　were
thoroughly　posed。　　Forder　had　not　a　word　to　say；　and　the　others　were
worse；　for　Cheviot　thought　Queen　Elizabeth's　Earl　of　Leicester　was
Simon　de　Montfort；　and　didn't　know　when　that　battle　was；　beginning
with　an　E。was　it　Evesham；　or　Edgehill？〃

〃0　Harry；　you　are　as　bad　yourself？〃

〃But　any　one　would　know　Leicester；　because　of　Kenilworth；〃　said
Harry；　〃and　I'm　not　sixth　form。　　If　papa　had　but　been　there！　　Every
one　was　asking　for　him；　and　wishing　it。　　For　Dr。　Hoxton　called　me
they　shook　hands　with　me；　and　wished　me　joy　of　it；　and　told　me　to
tell　my　father　how　well　Norman　had　done。〃

〃I　suppose　you　looked　so　happy；　they　could　not　help　it；〃　said　Flora；
smiling　at　that　honest　beaming　face　of　joy。

〃Ay；〃　said　Norman；　looking　up；　〃they　had　something　to　say　to　him　on
his　own　score；　which　he　has　forgotten。〃

〃I　should　think　not；〃　said　Harry。　　〃Why；　what　d'ye　think　they　said？
That　I　had　gone　on　as　well　as　all　the　Mays；　and　they　trusted　I　should
still；　and　be　a　credit　to　my　profession。〃

〃Oh！　Harry！　why　didn't　you　tell　us？〃　　Oh！　that　is　grand！〃　and；　as　the
two　elder　girls　made　this　exclamation；　Mary　proceeded　to　a　rapturous
embrace。　　〃Get　along；　Mary；　you　are　throttling　one。　　Mr。　Everard
inquired　for　my　father　and　Margaret；　and　said　he'd　call　to…morrow；
and　Hoxton　and　Wilmot　kept　on　wishing　he　was　there。〃

〃I　wish　he　had　been！〃　said　Ethel；　〃he　would　have　taken　such　delight
in　it；　but；　even　if　he　could　have　gone；　he　doubted　whether　it　would
not　have　made　Norman　get　on　worse　from　anxiety。〃

〃Well；　Cheviot　wanted　me　to　send　up　for　him　at　dinner…time；〃　said
Harry；　〃for　as　soon　as　we　sat　down　in　the　hall；　June　turned　off
giddy；　and　could　not　stay；　and　looked　so　horrid；　we　thought　it　was
all　over　with　him；　and　he　would　not　be　able　to　go　up　at　all。〃

〃And　Cheviot　thought　you　ought　to　send　for　papa！〃

〃Yes；　I　knew　he　would　not　be　in；　and　so　we　left　him　lying　down　on　the
bench　in　the　cloister　till　dinner　was　over。〃

〃What　a　place　for　catching　cold！〃　said　Flora。

〃So　Cheviot　said；　but　I　couldn't　help　it；　and　when　we　went　to　call
him　afterwards；　he　was　all　right。　　Wasn't　it　fun；　when　the　names　were
called　over；　and　May　senior　at　the　head！　　I　don't　think　it　will　be
better　when　I　am　a　post…captain　myself！　　But　Margaret　has　not　heard
half　yet。〃

After　telling　it　once　in　her　room；　once　in　the　nursery；　in　whispers
like　gusts　of　wind；　and　once　in　the　pantry；　Harry　employed　himself　in
writing〃Norman　is　Dux！〃　in　immense　letters；　on　pieces　of　paper；
which　he　disposed　all　over　the　house；　to　meet　the　eyes　of　his　father
and　Richard　on　their　return。

Ethel's　joy　was　sadly　damped　by　Norman's　manner。　He　hardly　spoke
only　just　came　in　to　wish　Margaret　good…night；　and　shrank　from　her
affectionate　sayings；　departing　abruptly　to　his　own　room。

〃Poor　fellow！　he　is　sadly　overdone；〃　said　she；　as　he　went。

〃Oh！〃　sighed　Ethel；　nearly　ready　to　cry；　〃'tis　not　like　what　I　used
to　fancy　it　would　be　when　he　came　to　the　head　of　the　school！〃

〃It　will　be　different　to…morrow；〃　said　Margaret；　trying　to　console
herself　as　well　as　Ethel。　　〃Think　how　he　has　been　on　the　strain　this
whole　day；　and　long　before；　doing　so　much　more　than　older　boys。　　No
wonder　he　is　tired　and　worn　out。〃

Ethel　did　not　understand　what　mental　fatigue　was；　for　her　active；
vigorous　spirit　had　never　been　tasked　beyond　its　powers。

〃I　hope　he　will　be　like　himself　to…morrow！〃　said　she　disconsolately。
〃I　never　saw　him　rough　and　hasty　before。　　It　was　even　with　you；
Margaret。〃

〃No；　no；　Ethel　you　aren't　going　to　blame　your　own　Norman　for
unkindness　on　this　of　all　days　in　the　year。　　You　know　how　it　was；　you
love　him　better；　just　as　I　do；　for　not　being　able　to　bear　to　stay　in
this　room；　where〃